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Note: Sanctuaries are different to National Parks in Thailand, Thailand currently has established 39 sanctuaries and access is more restrictive as their role is as a sanctuary for wildlife rather than a park for the nation. Some sanctuaries do allow limited access to tourists.

Doi Suthep Non-Hunting Area

Hi. I've been living in Chiang Mai for about 2 years now. I've mostly explored around CNX so far, so no trips yet to the better national parks.

A while back, I visited Wat Umong and discovered that it's adjacent to an area with some wildlife, ie, banteng and a few species of deer.

I'm curious and I haven't gotten any good answers from the Thais that I've asked, what's the status of this place? Is it a zoo? Wildlife sanctuary? How far back into the mountain do the enclosures go? It appears that they are willing to let the small deer mingle with the banteng, but keep the larger deer separate.

Thank you! Even my Thai friend hasn't been able to illuminate the matter. I reckon that the animals are not really wild if they are being fed and confined in any way (although being protected from hunters may form an exception).

Google translate:
“(In the) Year 2517, the Royal Forest Department went to explore the National Forest Reserve area in the east of Doi Suthep National Forest. Which was invaded and cleared as habitat and established an organization named "Wildlife raising and breeding". Later, in 1975, the Royal Forest Department established the Wildlife Conservation Division to expand the fence in the area of 100 acres and 4 gazelles for the first time. Later, many more types of poultry were released. And changed the name of this new organization that "Dharma Institute and Wildlife Research Center Choeng Doi Suthep" for the public, students and students to come to travel, relax and find knowledge about wildlife. Conservation of natural resources and the environment In the following years, the center considered that Wildlife corridors are confined. The problem of insufficient wildlife food is to expand the enclosure to an area of 1,000 rai so that existing wildlife can earn their own living and release more wildlife. And changed the name of the center Last time was "Choeng Doi Suthep Wildlife Conservation Development and Promotion Station" under the Wildlife Conservation Division, Department of Forestry.”

“Wildlife under the care of the station Most are local wildlife. …Which has been donated and donated by the wildlife in the middle of a violation of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act. The station has maintained these wildlife for educational benefits, academic research and the enjoyment of tourists and The general public includes red cows, wild deer, barking deer, gazelles, deer, deer, musk, wild pigs, monkeys, gibbons, wolves, pheasant, bears, turtles, birds Various squirrels, chipmunks, etc. In addition to the wildlife that has lived in this forest before, such as barking deer, musk deer, soft musk or pangolin, wild birds, etc. Bird types include doves, drongos, bulrushes, bulbuls, parrots, small parrots, bulbul. Woodpecker, canary, beckon, grebe, red duck, etc."